How long does a DUI stay on your record?

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Jeffrey Johnson

Insurance Lawyer

Jeffrey Johnson is a legal writer with a focus on personal injury. He has worked on personal injury and sovereign immunity litigation in addition to experience in family, estate, and criminal law. He earned a J.D. from the University of Baltimore and has worked in legal offices and non-profits in Maryland, Texas, and North Carolina. He has also earned an MFA in screenwriting from Chapman Univer...

Insurance Lawyer

UPDATED: Mar 24, 2023

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Key Takeaways

  • Depending on your state, a DUI charge can remain on your driving record for five years or much longer
  • A DUI will always stay on your insurance company’s record, but the company may lower your rates after a few years of accident and violation-free driving
  • There are a few things you can do to lower your insurance rates following a DUI offense

How long does a DUI stay on your record for insurance purposes? Also, how long does a DUI stay on your criminal record? Are they related?

Depending on your state, a DUI may stay on your record perpetually. Of course, any insurance company is free to view those records as part of its risk assessment.

Generally, your car insurance rates will increase after a DUI. You may only be able to get high-risk car insurance in some cases, but some companies will give you more leniency than others.

Learn more about how long a DUI stays on your record for car insurance purposes, plus what you can do to lower your car insurance rates after getting a DUI.

And if you want to see rates from some car insurance companies in your area right now, enter your ZIP code into our free quote tool above.

How long does a DUI stay on your driving record overall?

Discover how long a DUI can remain on your driving record after a conviction based on your state:

How Long a DUI Stays on Your Record in Each State

StateHow Long a DUI Stays on Driving Records (in Years)Minimum SR-22 Filing Period (in Years)
Alabama53-5
AlaskaForever3-20*
Arizona53
Arkansas53-5
California103
Colorado103
Connecticut101
Delaware5No SR-22 Required
District of Columbia103
Florida753 (FR-44)
Georgia103
Hawaii53
IdahoForever3
IllinoisForever3
IndianaForever3-5
Iowa122
KansasForever1-3
Kentucky5No SR-22 Required
Louisiana103
MaineForever3
Maryland5
Massachusetts10Varies
Michigan73
Minnesota10No SR-22 Required
Mississippi53
Missouri102-3
Montana53
Nebraska123
Nevada73
New Hampshire103
New Jersey10No SR-22 Required
New Mexico55No SR-22 Required
New York15No SR-22 Required
North Carolina7No SR-22 Required
North Dakota71
OhioForever3-5
Oklahoma10No SR-22 Required
OregonForever3
Pennsylvania10No SR-22 Required
Rhode Island5No SR-22 Required
South Carolina103
South Dakota103
TennesseeForever3-5
TexasForever2
Utah103
VermontForever3
Virginia113 (FR-44)
Washington153
West Virginia10No SR-22 Required
Wisconsin103
Wyoming103
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*For each DUI infraction a person commits in Alaska, they will have a longer SR-22 period. That person will have a permanent SR-22 requirement after their fourth infraction.

A DUI conviction will likely stay on your criminal record in perpetuity unless you can get it removed. However, the expungement will not affect your DMV record.

Next, we will examine how a DUI offense affects your car insurance rates.

How long does a DUI stay on your record for car insurance purposes?

The previous section also included data for SR-22 period lengths because a DUI conviction will lead to a suspended license. And if you need to retrieve your driver’s license after committing a DUI infraction, you will need to file an SR-22 for car insurance. While the SR-22 doesn’t cost much on its own, the DUI that led to the SR-22 will mean higher insurance rates.

Depending on your chosen car insurance company, a DUI conviction can affect your car insurance rates and your eligibility for some discounts. Here are some car insurance companies that may grant you leniency after a certain period:

How Long a DUI Stays on Your Record for Car Insurance Companies

Car Insurance CompanyReset Period (in Years)
AAA3-5
Allstate3
American Family3
Chubb5
Erie3
Farmers3
GEICO3-5
The Hanover3
The Hartford5
Liberty Mutual5
ProgressiveAt least 3
Safeco5
State Farm9
USAA5
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This list partially relies on information about these companies’ good driving discounts and accident forgiveness programs. In most cases, these companies will reward drivers who remain accident-free for three to five straight years.

That said, car insurance companies will keep a record of any driver’s accidents and driving violations.

Insurance companies operate on risk, and they are constantly evaluating drivers listed on their policies. If you have too many violations, insurance companies will raise your rates, bar you from receiving certain discounts, or non-renew your policy.

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How much does car insurance cost after you commit a DUI offense?

Here is a snapshot of the possible car insurance rate increases you may see after a DUI infraction:

How Long Does a DUI Stay on Your Record? Car Insurance Rate Increases With Major Companies

CompanyAverage Annual RatesAnnual Rates After a DUIPercentage Increase
AAA$1,721.20$2,994.8974%
Allstate$1,976.24$2,885.8146%
American Family$1,461.50$1,607.6510%
Amica Mutual$1,281.60$2127.46166%
Auto-Owners Insurance$1,443$2,784.9993%
Dairyland$1,629$1,840.7713%
Erie$1,230$2,115.6072%
Esurance$1,876$2,795.24149%
Farmers$1,366.60$2,514.5484%
GEICO$1,295.40$2,875.79122%
The Hanover$2,490$3,037.8022%
The Hartford$1,247.83$4,205.19237%
Kemper$2,930$3,545.3021%
Liberty Mutual$1,436.37$3,059.47113%
Mercury Insurance$1,197$1,735.6545%
Nationwide$1,896.67$4,267.51125%
Progressive$1,765.62$2,471.8740%
Safeco$1,188$1,651.3239%
State Farm$1,285.90$1,967.4353%
Travelers$1,251$2,139.2171%
USAA$1,282.83$2,296.2779%
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American Family Insurance might have the lowest increases, but The Hartford’s rates increased on this chart by an astounding 237%. However, based on the average, you should expect your rates to increase by approximately 80%.

Tips For Lowering Your Car Insurance Rates After A DUI Infraction

If rates from your current insurance company are too high, consider finding another car insurance company. However, if your insurance company decides to keep you as a policyholder, you can avoid a lapse in coverage and have a second chance.

Here is what you can do to lower your rates in any case:

  • Maintain a good driving record after the DUI offense. Given what we discussed about record resets, your insurance company may lower your rates after a few years of driving without accidents and violations.
  • Take a defensive driving course. The Insurance Information Institute mentions that you could receive this discount if another person listed on your policy takes the course. However, in this case, you can benefit in two ways by enrolling in such a course.
  • Drive a different car. You may get a discount by driving a car with safety features and passive restraint systems. Also, look at car insurance rates for your vehicle because the type of vehicle you drive can impact your rates.

You may also lower your monthly rates by raising your deductible, driving less, or enrolling in a telematics program. The latter may also allow your insurance company to see that your driving is gradually improving.

We hope that we have helped you understand more about how long a DUI offense can remain on your record for car insurance. Now, if you would like to see car insurance rates from some companies in your area, enter your ZIP code into our free quote tool below.

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